Dreams of an Everyday Housewife
by SingerMe
Summary: Amanda's dreams of her life through the years


**Dreams of an Everyday Housewife**

 **OH, such are the dreams of the everyday housewife,** **you see everywhere anytime of the day. – Written by Chris Gantry**

I don't own these characters. I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

 **A &L&A&L&A&L&A&L&A&L&A&L&A&L&A&L**

Amanda lay awake next to her new husband, Joe and stared up at the ceiling. This was her wedding night if you went by facts and figures, but it wasn't much different than the night before if you went by feelings. Though, the ceremony had been beautiful and all and nothing had served to ruin the day, there was still a tiny part of her that was disappointed.

It wasn't that she didn't love Joe or hadn't wanted to be his wife. She did. Very much so. But she'd also wanted to be more than that. She'd held dreams of her college degree bringing her an exciting life and career. But Joe had made it clear, her place was as his wife and partner and that was as exciting as it needed to be.

Accepting that, Amanda had laid aside her dreams of a thrilling life and said I will to the man she loved. After the reception was over and they'd gone to their hotel room for the night, Amanda thought that at least there, in the privacy of their room, she'd at last get excitement of another kind.

But again, she'd been disappointed. Her dreams of a truly sensual and stimulating night of lovemaking with her new groom were quickly laid aside with her others. Joe simply didn't have it in him to be that kind of lover. Once he'd finished, he'd kissed her forehead, pulled away, and turned onto his side and went to sleep. Shaking her head, Amanda closed her eyes, leaving those dreams behind and embracing other more attainable dreams.

Three years later, Amanda sighed as she placed the last dish in the drainer and looked around the kitchen for any unfinished tasks. Seeing none, she wrung out her dish cloth and laid it across the sink to dry. Phillip had already been put to bed for the night and looking into the den, Amanda could see that Joe was about ready to join him in slumber.

For several moments, Amanda just stood and watched her husband as he dozed on the couch and she rubbed her protruding belly. Their second child was due in a couple of months and she was excited to welcome him or her into the world. Joe was too, or least he said he was, but sometimes she wondered about that.

Sinking into a chair, she went back over the conversation they'd had just a couple of nights prior. Joe had received an offer from some international agency to go to the country of Estocia to work. To her dismay and actual shock, he actually seemed interested and excited about the prospect. The fact that she wasn't hadn't seemed to dim his enthusiasm.

"Amanda." Joe shook his head, his shining bright at the prospect. "Can't you see how thrilling that would be? We can travel the world and see all kinds of far flung and exotic places and really live."

"And what about our children, Joe?" Amanda asked exasperated with the whole idea. "We can't drag them clear around the world like that. They need a good stable home and family life."

Although Joe had nodded in agreement and said nothing more of the matter right then, she'd seen enough in his eyes to know he hadn't put the idea of his mind completely. Joe had dreams of saving the world with his law degree no matter what he had to do to accomplish it.

Closing her weary eyes, Amanda thought of her own dreams, dreams not likely to ever be realized. Though her dreams were modest compared to Joe's, she'd still had them and they hadn't included raising two kids alone while her husband gallivanted around the world or gallivanting around the world with him, dragging two innocent children into one dangerous situation after another.

No, Amanda's dreams, while much more exciting than her current situation, were still a little more realistic and if her husband had his way, a lot less attainable.

Taking a deep breath, Amanda got to her feet, woke Joe and took him up stairs with her. Once in the bedroom, Joe kissed her on the cheek climbed into bed and turned away, instantly returning to sleep. If Amanda dreamed of more that night, she was once again disappointed.

A couple of years later, Amanda stood with one boy hugging her leg and another on her hip, watching her husband packing his bag to leave just three days before Christmas. They'd argued the night before about his going but to no avail. Joe was set on leaving and nothing she could say or do would deter him or convince to delay his leaving until after the holidays.

As he threw two more shirts and some underwear into his bag, Joe looked over at Amanda with a sigh. "Honey, honestly, I won't be gone that long. Just a couple of weeks and then I'll be home. But I need to do this. It's important. Of course, you and the boys could still go with me." He saw the answer in her expression without a spoken answer.

Not willing to argue in front of the boys, Amanda turned for the door. "I'll let you finish packing and get the boys dressed so we can take you to the airport."

"Ah, no, Amanda." Joe shook his head. "I, uh, called a taxi to pick me up. There's no need to get the boys out in the cold."

Swallowing hard, Amanda nodded and continued on out of the bedroom. Putting the boys down for a nap, she descended the stairs and went into the kitchen, stifling her anger and pain. He wasn't even going to allow them the last few minutes together that the ride would have afforded.

A few minutes later, Joe came down the stairs and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Cabs here." He murmured as he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek and turned for the door. "I'll see you all when I get home."

After she heard the door close, Amanda finally bowed her head and sobbed for another lost dream. She'd dreamed of this Christmas being a happy one for both her and Joe and their sons. She'd wanted them all together, in one place and doing all of the family things her sons had dreamed of. But once again, her dreams would have to be forgotten and she'd deal with the realities for the sake of her children and her own sanity.

A couple of years later, Amanda lay in a hospital bed and weakly looked up into the tear stained face of her mother. She'd lost the baby girl she'd been carrying and another dream disappeared. Her husband, who'd left the country yet again just a week prior hadn't been notified of the miscarriage because he hadn't been located. Amanda was no longer sure whether it mattered. The life of the daughter she'd so desperately wanted was lost, just like Amanda's dream of having a little girl.

A couple more years past and Amanda once again stood and watched as Joe packed his bags to leave. Only this time it was permanent. She didn't protest, she didn't cry, she didn't ask him to come back. She knew that no matter how much she loved him, their marriage was over. They were no longer a couple, hadn't been for a while. You can't be a couple when one of the two was never there.

Once again, her dream was lost. The one where she and Joe raised their kids and grew old together was now gone. Accepting a kiss to her cheek, Amanda sighed as she watched her husband leave their home for the last time.

A couple more years passed. The divorce was now one year old and Amanda was dating a very nice man named Dean. He wasn't particularly dashing or debonair or even the greatest looking man she'd ever seen. But he was solid and dependable and she knew he'd never abandon her and his children for life in some foreign country.

Of course, she knew he wasn't the man of her dreams either. That man, she was pretty sure, didn't exist. That man was tall, handsome, exhilarating, had the most beautiful eyes and could charm the birds from the trees. That man would bring love and security and even excitement into her life and help her to get over the pain and grief of all of her other lost dreams.

"Goodbye, Dean." Amanda smiled at her boyfriend as she saw him off at the train station and turned to head back to her car. No, he wasn't the man of her dreams and if she married him, she wouldn't live the life of her dreams but at least he was stable.

"Walk with me." A tall man with beautiful eyes and the most beautiful dimples suddenly took her arm and turned her in the opposite direction. Turned her, though she didn't know it at the time, in the direction of her dreams.

Four years later, Amanda stood with Lee and exchanged vows. As she looked into the hazel eyes or her partner and soul mate, she realized she'd finally reached her dreams. The housewife from Arlington had finally obtained everything she'd ever wanted and never thought she'd have.

End


End file.
